Torn Apart
by btamamura
Summary: The Daltons want revenge on Huckleberry Hound after the events of 'The Good, the Bad and Huckleberry Hound' and plan on taking his family from him. Instead, Huckleberry insists on being the one taken. Inspired by the prompt 'Imagine your OTP has been forcibly separated. One night, they both go outside and sing Somewhere Out There'. Huckleberry Hound x Desert Flower


**Disclaimer:** _I do not own any of the characters in this fic, they are the property of William Hanna and Joseph Barbera. I also do not own the song_ **Somewhere Out There** _._

 **Notes:** _**This is my very first Huckleberry Hound x Desert Flower (or HuckleFlower) fanfiction. This is set after the movie**_ _The Good, the Bad and Huckleberry Hound_ _ **. The children are not original characters, but the names I gave them are mine.**_

 _ **Inspiration for this came from a prompt on the Tumblr blog**_ _otpprompts_ _ **. Basically, it said that the OTP has been forcibly separated and while apart, they sing**_ _Somewhere Out There_ _ **from**_ _An American Tail_ _ **.**_

 _ **This might contain some OOC, and some very slight spoilers for**_ _The Good, the Bad and Huckleberry Hound_ _ **. I hope you enjoy this!**_

 _ **Line-breaks hate me, so I will use HHDF instead of symbols to mark them.**_

HHDF

Life was truly wonderful for Huckleberry Hound. He gazed around at the members of his family sitting in the room with him. His oldest children, Sunny and Sky, were sitting on the floor and rolling a ball back and forth to each other. His wife Desert Flower was seated beside him on the sofa, L'il Blue swaddled in his blanket and cradled lovingly in his mother's arms.

Their lives were peaceful on the little farm where they raised goats and pigs, with a little help from Huckleberry's faithful horsie Bob. They sometimes received visits from members of the tribe Desert Flower's family was a part of, including her own parents. Once in a while, Huckleberry's friends from Two-Bit would stop by with greetings to offer as they continued living their lives in the ways they'd chosen; whether it was Hokey Wolf as a Used Car Salesman, or Snagglepuss achieving fame as an actor.

But, of course, it's expected that such peaceful lives would be met with some disturbances.

HHDF

"Daddy, can you please sing that song again?" Sunny asked her father.

"Yeah, please, Pa?" Sky added, handing his father the guitar.

Huckleberry chuckled and accepted the instrument. "Well, I don't see why not. Any requests?"

"The song you sing to Ma!"

"Yes, that pretty song!" Sunny exclaimed.

Desert Flower smiled sweetly. "I'd very much like to hear that one again myself." She heard L'il Blue let out a couple of cooing gurgles and giggled. "It's unanimous."

"Alrighty." He tuned the guitar, strummed the strings and opened his mouth. "Say, kids, how's 'bout ya join your old man?"

Desert Flower's smile widened as she heard her husband singing the song he'd performed to propose to marry her, accompanied by their oldest children.

HHDF

Unknown to the content family, four men were approaching the farm with hurried steps. "Now, you're _sure_ that feller lives out this way?" Stinky Dalton asked his pink-clad brother.

"I heard it from a reliable source. That farm over yonder with the pigs and goats is where that do-gooder lives," Pinky responded.

"Boy, I'd sure like to learn him a thing or two! He ain't gonna get away with lockin' us away like he did!"

"I heard he has a family. Maybe we oughtta threaten them to get him to surrender," Dinky suggested.

"Great idea, Dink! Glad I thought of it! Come on, we're almost there!"

HHDF

The song ended and the puppies applauded their father's playing. "Can ya sing another, Pa?" Sky asked.

"In a little while, Sky. Your pa needs a bit of a rest," Huckleberry responded as he set his guitar aside. "How's 'bout instead I tell ya both a story?"

"A story? Yay! Tell us a story, Daddy!" Sunny cheered.

Desert Flower looked to her daughter. "Sunny, L'il Blue is about to have a nap. Please don't yell."

"Sorry, Mommy."

"It's alright, dear."

"So, what story do ya kidlets wanna hear this time?" Huckleberry asked.

"How about when you caught those no-good baddies and locked 'em up? I love that one!" Sky suggested.

"Aww, but I wanted to hear about how Mummy and Daddy met..." Sunny whined.

"Now now, Sunny. I can tell ya both of 'em seein' as I did meet your mother when I caught those no-good vill-i-ains." He lifted them onto his lap. "Now, the way it started was..."

HHDF

Bob was eating his hay as he kept an eye and ear out for any trouble. He was still Huckleberry's faithful horsie after all, so he decided it was his duty to keep watch. His left ear twitched. "Funny. Could-a sworn I heard somethin'." He looked around and spotted four silhouettes heading towards the back of the farmhouse. "Huck! Someone's sneakin' in the back way!" he started shouting.

HHDF

"Just when it...hold on." He could hear Bob's shouting, noting how frantic the equine was sounding. "Uh-oh, sounds like trouble." He picked up the children, rose to his feet and then settled them onto the sofa. "Stay here, y'all. I'll go check it out." He hurried to the hallway and unlocked the closet he kept his firearms in. He grabbed his rifle and made his way to the kitchen, hoping to catch the intruders as they entered the house. He saw in alarm the door was already wide open, meaning they'd managed to get in. "Where did they...?"

"Daddy!"

He didn't like the sound of the shrill scream Sunny had let out. He hurried back to the living room. His blood went cold at the sight of the four Dalton brothers glaring upon his family.

Desert Flower had pulled her children close, holding all three of them as L'il Blue started wailing in fright at what was happening. "Who are you? What do you want with us?"

"For starters, ya can shut those kids up!" Stinky demanded, pointing to L'il Blue and the whimpering Sunny. "Now, where is Huckleberry Hound?"

"I'm right here! Leave my family alone!" Huckleberry responded in a firm voice. He knew he had to stay in control of his emotions in such a delicate situation; the four men were dangerous, and if he were to rile them up, it could mean his family would be in more danger than they already were.

"Told ya he lived here," Pinky said to Stinky, a smug smile on his face.

"Yeah, yeah." Stinky turned to Huckleberry. "Ya know, we didn't appreciate ya lockin' us up like that. Do ya know what we intend to do as revenge?"

Huckleberry lifted his rifle slowly, pointing it towards Stinky. He was hoping to at least intimidate him into leaving without it having to become a fight.

"Bad idea." He looked to his brothers. "Do it, boys."

Desert Flower bit back a scream as she saw three silver pistols being pulled out and aimed right for her and the children.

Huckleberry's blood was ice-cold at the visual threat. He hurriedly lowered his rifle. "Leave 'em be, Stinky. They ain't got nothin' to do with what happened in Two-Bit."

"They're your family, so they have a lot to do with it." He turned to Finky. "Grab the baby."

"But, he keeps cryin' and it'll hurt my ears," Finky whined.

"I said grab 'im! Pinky, take the kids. Dinky, grab the lady. We'll make Huckleberry pay dearly for what he did to us."

Huckleberry's eyes widened and he paled beneath his blue fur. "Wait! Stinky, I beg of ya, leave my family alone! If'n ya want someone, take me instead!"

Stinky thought about it. "Either way, you'll be punished. Alrighty. Leave the kids and the lady. We gots us a prisoner."

"No, Huck, don't do this!" Desert Flower cried out as tears filled her eyes.

Huckleberry smiled sadly as he looked to his wife. "I'll be alright. So long as I know you four are safe, I'll be fine."

"Alright, let's get movin'," Stinky demanded.

Huckleberry felt himself being lifted off the ground and realised Dinky had him. As he felt himself being carried out of the house, he called to his family, "Desert Flower, I want ya to be strong for me, hang in there! Kids, be good for your ma, ya hear?"

Before leaving the house, Finky picked up the ball Sunny and Sky had been playing with earlier. "I'm takin' this and ya can't stop me." He carried it proudly out of the house.

The last thing Huckleberry could hear was Desert Flower comforting three wailing children.

HHDF

Bob watched in horror as he saw someone being carried away. "No, it can't be..." He hurried to the house and looked through the living room window. "Desert Flower, what happened?"

The yellow-pelted coonhound looked up to the horse, tears streaming from her eyes. "Some bad people just took Huck away. Bob, please go after them...please save Huck..."

"The Daltons! Don't worry, Desert Flower, I'll bring him back, I promise!" He pulled his head out of the window and with a loud whinny, he galloped in the direction he saw the five figures heading in. _I only hope I'll make it in time..._

HHDF

Dinky threw Huckleberry into a dark, dank room and slammed the door shut. "Stay in there until we figures how to deal with ya!"

"Not like I can go anywheres," Huckleberry murmured as he surveyed the surroundings. There was only a small window in the room; enough to give it some light, but too small for him to squeeze through. "I have no idea what's in store for me, so I'd better hurry and think up somethin'...or I'm a goner." He started pacing back and forth around the room, finger to his chin as he thought his hardest of how he was going to get back to his family. Escaping wouldn't be easy, and even then he had to make sure there was no chance the Daltons could go after him. After all, his escape would mean they would turn to his family. "I can't let that happen!" He found the least damp area of the room and sat down, head in his paws. _I'd have to lock them varmints up again, make sure they can't escape at all. But, how...?_

HHDF

Later that night, Desert Flower had finally managed to settle the children in their beds and got them to go to sleep. It wasn't easy though; Sky kept insisting on chasing after the villains who had taken his father, and Sunny's crying kept L'il Blue awake. All three of the children needed to be consoled over and over again that Bob would find their father and bring him back home safe and sound.

But, it wasn't easy to convince them when she herself had trouble believing it would be likely. "Huck...why did you have to do this...? I know you wanted to protect us, but those men..." She wiped away another round of tears before they could fall and made her way to the bedroom she shared with her husband. The bed they shared would seem a lot larger that night. She sat on the edge of the bed and looked out the window to the night sky. "Where are you, my beloved?" She opened her mouth and started to softly sing. " _ **Somewhere out there, beneath the pale moonlight, someone's thinking of me, and loving me tonight...**_ "

HHDF

Huckleberry cast his eyes to the night sky. "I wonder what it is that Desert Flower and the kids are up to right now. I reckon the kids'll be asleep, but...Desert Flower, she must be feelin' as lonesome as I am right now. No question she's wishin' for me to hurry back home. Desert Flower..." He could feel tears welling in his own eyes, the lonely, empty feeling hitting him hard. He brushed away one that rolled down his cheek before he started to sing softly. " _ **Somewhere out there, someone's sayin' a prayer, that we'll find one another in that big somewhere out there...**_ " He reached his hand through the window as if hoping to reach his beloved. " _ **And even though I know how very far apart we are, it helps to think we might be wishin' on the same bright star...**_ "

HHDF

" _ **And when the night wind starts to sing a lonesome lullaby, it helps to think we're sleeping underneath the same big sky...**_ " She stood by the window, her paw to the glass. For some reason, she felt as if she was not singing her song alone. " _ **Somewhere out there, if love can see us through...**_ "

HHDF

The more Huckleberry continued singing, the less alone he felt. " _ **Then we'll be together, somewhere out there, out where dreams come true...**_ " It wasn't hard to picture Desert Flower standing beside him, her voice melding with his as they released the long note and wound up the song. He brought his paw back in. "Desert Flower, I swear I will return to you and the kids. I swear it!" he whispered in a heated tone.

"Psst! Huck!"

"I know that voice!" He looked out the window, and the sight brought a smile to his face. "Bob!"

"I followed them fellers. I had to wait until they were asleep though. That window looks a might small."

"Yeah. No chance I could squeeze through at all, even if we applied certain physics."

"Stand back. I'll try kicking it and making it larger."

"Hold on, that might wake them fellers."

"Not like it will matter. I hogtied them to their beds before comin' here. If they tried to see what was causin' the commotion, they'd have a hard time breakin' free."

"Erm, what did ya use?"

"Titanium chains with links as big as my body. Not even Dinky could break through those." He positioned himself to let loose a few high kicks. "Ready?"

Huckleberry backed away from the window. "Ready."

"Here goes!" At that, Bob let loose a mighty kick, and managed to shatter the bricks that framed the window. "How is it now?"

"Perfect!" Huckleberry took a running leap, hoisted himself up and out of the window and landed safely on Bob's back. "Ya truly are a faithful horsie, Bob!"

"We'd better lock up them Daltons for good this time so you and the kin will be safe."

"I know." He put his finger to his chin again. "I got it! Quick, we ain't got time to lose!"

HHDF

Desert Flower started awake. She sat up and looked around the darkened room. She let out a sad sigh as she was forced to remember the events of the afternoon. She wrapped her arms around herself. "Oh, Huck..." She pulled back her blankets and slipped out of bed. She wrapped a shawl around her shoulders and made her way out of the bedroom to check on the children. If she was having nightmares, what were the children going through?

To her relief, they were fast asleep. They didn't appear as peaceful as they usually would, but were still sleeping. _I think the only way we'll ever find peace is if Huck comes back to us. Oh, please bring him back, Bob..._

HHDF

"Sure was lucky we found the titanium prison and the crane we used to bring it here," Huckleberry commented as he positioned the steel prison above the Daltons' hideout shack. He dropped it gently over the building. There were no doors, and the windows had bars so thick that not even Dinky could break them; his large hands wouldn't be able to fit between the paper-thin gaps. "Alright, Bob, push that button!"

Bob nodded and pushed the button that was on the building. At that, the building changed length, but instead of rising to a great height, what extended went through the ground. That meant there was no chance of burrowing out of there either. "All done, Huck. Now, let's get back home; the family's waitin' for ya."

"Right, let's go!" He mounted his faithful horsie, and galloped back in the direction of the farm he called home.

HHDF

The sun was rising, and Desert Flower had barely slept a wink. She had to go and wake up the children for breakfast before they would go out and tend to the goats and pigs being raised on the little farm. As she rose from her bed, she spotted something out of the window, galloping into the farmyard. "Is it...?" She hurried out of the room, through the house and out the front door. She felt like weeping in joy as she saw her beloved Huckleberry ride up on his faithful horsie. "Huck, is it really you...?"

The rider dismounted and hurried to his wife. He wrapped his arms around her before giving her a kiss. "I'm home, Desert Flower."

Bob watched the scene happily as the husband and wife tearfully shared kisses, hugs and words of affection upon being reunited after thinking it might never happen again.

"Thank you, Bob, thank you for bringing him back to us!" Desert Flower wept happily as she looked to the equine.

"I promised I would."

"Desert Flower, isn't it about time the kids were awake?" Huckleberry asked his wife, brushing away one of her fallen tears.

"You're right."

"Then, let's go wake 'em together and let 'em know I'm home again. And I intend to stay here for a very long time." His arm around her shoulders, he led his beloved wife into the farmhouse.

Bob smiled widely as he heard the children shout in excitement about their father having returned safe and sound. "The family's back together again, just as they should be," he murmured in content as he made his way to his stable. It was time to eat.

HHDF

That evening after the kids had been tucked in for the night, Huckleberry and Desert Flower lay in their bed, arms around each other. "Last night, I couldn't stop thinking about you. I was hoping I would see you again. Before I knew it, I had started singing."

"I know."

"How?"

"Because when I was singin', I was certain I could hear ya singin' with me." He tightened his loving embrace on his wife. "I love ya so much, Desert Flower. I missed ya beyond words. I couldn't stop thinkin' 'bout ya either."

"I love you too, Huck..." She shifted position slightly so she could share another kiss, one filled with love and passion, with her husband.

HHDF

 **After-notes:** _**There, it's done. My very first HuckleFlower fic is complete. I have to admit as I typed this, I felt myself getting emotional. I apologise if I made any of you readers cry, though I will also say that if you felt emotions, then it means I wrote this well.**_

 _ **Thank you for reading. If you wish to say something, please do not flame. Constructive criticism is perfectly fine though.**_


End file.
